Stolen Jars – Folded Out

I’ve listened to it many times over, hoping that something will take hold, but I’m struggling to get into this fully as a single.

My initial thoughts are that it would make a good introduction to an album; as to me, I feel that there is no climax as I would expect from a single, despite there being a sense of build-up towards one with the songs progress.

As the song starts, we are introduced to a lovely acoustic guitar rhythm which is quite catchy and summery, and this led me to believe that the rest of the song would build up with this; being equally catchy, promising and enjoyable.

This pleasant guitar piece then dies off, leaving behind an electronic beat. This is then met by another guitar piece (different to the one being played previous), which I felt was being played in a way which not fit together well at all. More instruments are then introduced alongside this, and all of the together felt, to me, completely out of place, and quite uncomfortable to listen to.

Vocals are then brought in, which initially (but not completely) distracted me from the off-put instrumentals.

I found the vocals promising, reminding me to those of Fleet Foxes: the harmonies pieced together nicely, and the instruments in the background were building up to what I was hoping and expecting to be the climax of the song.

The initial summery feeling from the beginning of the song returned, raising my hopes for the rest of the single.

The vocals then come to an end, and we are left with a solo vocalist who sounded similar to Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend fame. These vocals are played over an instrument, along with occasional bits of guitar, further greeted by more guitars, playing a tune from earlier in the single.

This is then repeated over and over, making me believe that there was going to be more guitar, with the wind instruments building up alongside – maybe there will be a climax after all!

But no, this was then completely stripped down to a single guitar rhythm , which again, felt out of place in comparison to the rest of the song.

In my personal opinion, I don’t believe this track to be strong enough to be a single, and has made no impression on me, or has made me want to hear more from the group.

If the initial instrumental that we were met by was kept throughout the song and built upon, I’m sure I would have found this a lot more enjoyable, but, as it was not, I can’t help but feel that the last time that I listened to this song will be the last time.